# 慎 — be discreet; careful

慎 means “be discreet; careful”. It is a JLPT N1 kanji written with 13 strokes. On'yomi: シン (shin). Kun'yomi: つつし(む) (tsutsushimu). You'll see it in words such as 慎む (tsutsushimu, “to be careful; to be discreet”).

- Meaning: be discreet; careful
- On'yomi: シン (shin)
- Kun'yomi: つつし(む) (tsutsushimu)
- Strokes: 13
- Level: JLPT N1 · set Feelings 1

## How to remember 慎

Sounds like 真: both read シン.

Parts: 忄 heart · 真 true

## Words with 慎

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 慎む | つつしむ (tsutsushimu) | to be careful; to be discreet |
| 慎み | つつしみ (tsutsushimi) | modesty; self-control |

## Don't confuse it with

[真](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/true/) · [惧](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/dread/) · [憤](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/indignant/) · [填](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/fill-in/)

## More in the “Feelings 1” set

[興](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/interest/) · [惑](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/bewilder/) · [喪](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/mourning/) · [慎](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/be-discreet/) · [誉](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/honour/) · [歓](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/delight/) · [騒](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/noisy/) · [忠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/loyalty/) · [誠](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/sincerity/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/be-discreet/. Last updated 2026-11-01.